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Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams

I have had my pair of Sigma HC power cords in my system burning in over the past 4-5 days and I managed to have a serious listening session last night after all the Thanksgiving festivities

First impression of this cable and best initial words to describe it is "muscle power"

This cable is big and heavy and tends to bring an air of ease, effortlessness and relaxation as compared to my previous Alpha HC power cords (which BTW will be moved to my JL Audio Fathom subs)

The construction of this cable tends make it bullet proof. I also have another Sigma C PC due to arrive this week which will replace an Anaconda PC from the wall to my Triton. I still have Shunyata Umbilicals from my there Typhons. According to Caelin the Sigma won't be showing HC (unlike the Alpha HC) as an umbilical, as I gather, due to its size weight and wire gauge which renders it somewhat rigid and not able to bend adequately due to the shorter umbilical length.

I had a reasonable listen to the system last night with the new cables in. My initial impression was the absolute ease with which things sounded. There seemed to a 3 dimensionality to the sound stage that I had never heard before. I thought this was as a result of the vast openness of the presentation. I felt that I could walk in and around the musicians and singers. I also found that when listening to bass or bass guitars, whereas before and now in retrospect the alpha HC was somewhat blurred when compared to the Sigma HC

This is a very large PC and from the Shunyata website the following can be found....

- 6 AWG VTX™ Conductors (High-Current)

whereas the Sigma Digital and Sigma Analog are ....

- 8 AWG VTX™ Conductors

The Sigma HC IMO is indeed a generous step up from the Alpha HC. It does it so much easier and the air and ease IMO created an almost holographic image. This is indeed a power cord worth auditioning if you have a high power amp or from the wall to a Triton.

There seems to be IMO a much better bass articulation as well as a more extended top end with a 3D soundstage to die for

By way of update I have now incorporated the Sigma Digital and Sigma HC into my system. I have now a pair of Sigma Analog power cords burning in that I will insert into the system (my Lamm preamp LL1 Signature) later this week. This should be a new experience as I have not owned the Alpha Analog PC so stay tuned

Once the 3 backordered PC's arrive and are implemented in to my system I will have the entire system on Shunyata Sigma PC (except for my Fathom subs where I will use the Alpha HC PC's removed from my Lamm ML3 amps.

The Sigma series, although not inexpensive, pales when comparing its price to some of the top tier cable manufacturers whose prices are in the stratosphere. I truly believe this new Sigma line should be auditioned if you are considering some upgrade but don't want to go broke in doing such

All IMO/IME
 
Sigma Analog Impressions

I've spent the past several days doing some extensive listening with all the aforementioned power cord changes.

The pair of Sigma Analog have now been on my preamp for the past 5 days and having placed Sigma HC's on my amps, the Alpha HC Pc's were moved to my Fathom subs.

As I slowly incorporate these Sigma power cords into the system I can say that the analog, digital and HC filters that Caelin uses on these PC's is sheer genius. The sound floor on my system is virtually non existent . Sound emerges from darkness and disappears into darkness. The subs now sound as if they are on steroids. The bass is fast articulate and well defined. The top end is slightly extended over the Alpha HC. What I have most noticed however since I placed the pair of Sigma Analog PC's on my preamp is the ease of presentation, the openness and most of all the 3D image that continues to emerge as each PC is placed into the system. I find it has brought me closer to the real event as a result of such. It just sounds like analog

There is just no doubt in my mind that Caelin is onto something quite unique and original by using different filters for the analog, digital and HC versions

I presently have also just added the other pair of Sigma analog PC's for my Studer and for the Doshi tape head preamp. The other Sigma HC will replace the Anaconda C19 from the wall to my Triton.

Once these have burned in I'd like to post my impressions about an all Shunyata system. Having heard the incremental changes that each addition produces has made me a believer in using the same brand cabling from start to finish.

Once done I will then seek to replace my signal and speaker cables

I've said before that up until last year I was very cable neutral and a cable skeptic until I heard the changes in my system with the addition of each of these Shunyata PC's.This has truly made me a believer in Caelin's science. As I said before these cables are not inexpensive especially when ordering a bunch of them however I maintain that the Shunyata cables can easily play with the big boys which are 5-10X the price

Again all IMO/IME
 
My Totally Shunyata Sigma Powered System

I have now had my 8 Shunyata Sigma PC's and a pair of Alpha HC's in my system now for the past 6 weeks and have spent the past two weeks doing some critical listening as each Sigma PC was introduced into the system. Initially I removed my Alpha Digital from my Playback Designs and replaced it with a Sigma Digital. Next I removed my pair of Alpha HC PC's from my amps and moved them to my pair of JL Audio Fathom subs while I introduced a pair of Sigma HC PC's to my amps. Next I introduced a pair of Sigma Analog cables to my Lamm LL1 Signature preamp and finally I used another pair of Sigma Analog PC's for my Studer R2R and one for the power supply to my Doshi tape head preamp.

There is no doubt in my mind as to the overall efficacy of using a system wide brand of the same cables. Ultimately i want to replace the signal and speaker cables in my system also with Shunyata so that I have a complete 100% Shunyata system.


Once again I will preface my remarks by saying that for years I, like many here, was a cable skeptic. I felt my system was as good as it could get and was happy to coast off into the sunset with my system wired as is ( I was using a combination of Valhalla and Transparent PC's). No one could ever convince me that a PC could make such a difference in a system let alone with 10 of them). Over this past year WBF was filled with threads about users' impressions of Shunyata products. With so many convincing tales as to the benefits of Shunyata products I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Initially I started with a single Triton for my front end gear. The change in the sound of my system was so profound that my quest began and I added a Typhon to my Triton as well as a pair of Typhons to run parallel in the circuits with my Lamm amps. Once again I could not believe the improvement in my system. So began my quest to consider an all Shunyata wired system

Last year I did use a pair of Alpha HC PC's on my Lamm amps and an Alpha Digital from my Playback Designs to the Triton These were replaced in the past month with a pair of Sigma HC and a Sigma Digital PC. For those not familiar with the newest Shunyata PC's they are unique as they contain specific noise reducing filters (Hybrid ?TRON™ Digital, Analog & HC Filters). There are currently several active threads here on noise reduction with proper grounding such as Entreq and Tripping and there are other threads o power clean power with the use of isolation transformers. I feel that these are all different means to the same end. I decided to take the cable approach as well as the use of the Triton and 3 Typhons.

Simply put I am now at a point in my system that I never before would have believed I could achieve. I know there are cable skeptics here and all I can say is so was I. I kept an open mind and TBH I was of the resolve that this little experiment would prove to me what I already knew, to wit, that cables make no differences at all. Having said that I can say that each time I introduced a new Sigma PC into my system the change was anything but subtle. The soundstage was so clear and well defined that it has become almost holographic or 3D. There is such a degree of separation of notes from singers and their instruments. Sound emerges from darkness from a virtually non existent sound floor. The transients are such that I have never experienced with my system. The top end is now somewhat more extended. As well I never would have thought that I could get such incredible bass from my amps which are all but 30 wpc but the bass now is so clear and well defined that what I heard before was nothing but hash and bloat. Now I can listen to a bass guitar or bass where there is air around every string.

I must admit however that the most startling change I heard and which I was not expecting was when I introduced a pair of Sigma Analog PC's to my Lamm preamp. All I can say is that the sound has brought me as close or closer to the real live event than I have ever before heard. I do not possess an analog rig and continue to envy those that do. In the absence of such all I can say is that the sound seems real and as close to analog as I have ever heard.

Somewhere in the next few months my plan is to replace all my signal cables and speaker cables with Shunyata products. It has been my goal to achieve a system wide use of a single cable brand and ultimately report on my findings. Presently all I can say is that Caelin's use of these filters in his PC's is absolute genius and has truly made me a believer in his science and can say unequivocally that even though it is a different way of reducing and removing specific noise from a system it is highly efficacious and would recommend this approach unequivocally to those interested in embarking on the same path.
 
Shunyata DF-SS (Dark Field Suspension System)-Initial Thoughts


Having read a recent post by Caelin about the features behind his new Dark Field Suspension System....

http://shunyata.com/technical-feat/559-tech-dfss-cable-system

.... and presently using the prior iteration of the Dark Field Cable Elevator.....

http://shunyata.com/our-products/discontinued/119-accessories-archived/125-darkfield-v2

.....I ordered 4 sets last week and just got 4 sets of DF-SS and I was so surprised. I didn't know what to expect since I have been using the prior iteration which weighs but a fraction of the weight of these new ones.There are 3 to a box and with 4 boxes the weight was the first thing to grab me

http://shunyata.com/our-products/accessories/553-darkfield-sus-system#!DFSS_Front

http://shunyata.com/our-products/accessories/553-darkfield-sus-system#!dfss_use

These have a lot of thought into the R&D. It's much heavier due to sand or other particulate matter contained within the base of the device (the energy-absorbing granular compound that fills the base of the DF-SS. This compound formulation absorbs floor borne energy that would otherwise couple to the cable, causing signal degradation). Cables sit on a sturdy flat black rubber band, which is securely bridged at each end of the device. Finally using the supplied 4 round rubber pads under each device these things not only won't move or tip on hard surface or carpet but so also will be pretty darn vibration free.

I have them now installed and I must admit this is the first substantial cable elevator system of which I am aware

More thoughts to follow........
 
Look forward to reading more...
 
Mola Mola

Well here's the bad news Lloyd. My right channel amp and/or power supply went down and I thought it was either a tube or a fuse but such is not the case. Sad to report that my right channel amp and power supply were both crated up and shipped back to Brooklyn for full evaluation by Vladimir. I'm hoping he will get it and start work this Monday with the hope that he will resolve the problem and have it shipped out for me to get next Friday. (wishful thinking, right ;))

However, every little cloud has a silver lining. In another thread here at WBF...

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?16628-Mola-Mola-!&p=301652&viewfull=1#post301652

I had indicated that my good friend Philip O'Hanlon is the USA distributor of Mola Mola and he lives less than 5 miles from me. I spoke to Philip this afternoon and he is coming over this evening to drop a pair into my system on loan until my amp is back and operational. So I know these will get a good work out and evaluation in my system.

More to follow with pictures tonight of the set up.......
 
I just got Phillip's latest CD in the mail. Hopefully, he will let you have one too. I really like the Vanessa Fernandez LP rip and the Miranda Lambert was a major tear jerker for me, even though I usually don't like modern country. I really like the low end in that Saint Saens Symphony number 3 previously mentioned. I think the Kaluga will provide a large contrast, if for nothing else, in the low end.

Steve Williams said:
Mola Mola

Well here's the bad news Lloyd. My right channel amp and/or power supply went down and I thought it was either a tube or a fuse but such is not the case. Sad to report that my right channel amp and power supply were both crated up and shipped back to Brooklyn for full evaluation by Vladimir. I'm hoping he will get it and start work this Monday with the hope that he will resolve the problem and have it shipped out for me to get next Friday. (wishful thinking, right ;))

However, every little cloud has a silver lining. In another thread here at WBF...

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?16628-Mola-Mola-!&p=301652&viewfull=1#post301652

I had indicated that my good friend Philip O'Hanlon is the USA distributor of Mola Mola and he lives less than 5 miles from me. I spoke to Philip this afternoon and he is coming over this evening to drop a pair into my system on loan until my amp is back and operational. So I know these will get a good work out and evaluation in my system.

More to follow with pictures tonight of the set up.......
Click to expand...
 
Hi Steve, the diminutive Mola Mola monos are baby cousins of the Rowland M925 monos that have given me bliss for the last 18 months.

Mola Mola likely require a little over 1K hours to break in completely and sound their best…. Do you know how many hours has Philip put on this particular pair? Regardless, if they have been disconnected for a while, it will take them 24 to 48 hours to return to full bloom.

I heard Mola Mola at RMAF 2013… They sounded very promising, but break-in was clearly rather incomplete.

Please do let us know your impressions.

Saluti, Guido
 
GuidoCorona said:
Hi Steve, the diminutive Mola Mola monos are baby cousins of the Rowland M925 monos that have given me bliss for the last 18 months.

Mola Mola likely require a little over 1K hours to break in completely and sound their best…. Do you know how many hours has Philip put on this particular pair? Regardless, if they have been disconnected for a while, it will take them 24 to 48 hours to return to full bloom.

I heard Mola Mola at RMAF 2013… They sounded very promising, but break-in was clearly rather incomplete.

Please do let us know your impressions.

Saluti, Guido
Click to expand...

1000 hours to break in , did I get that right . Why on earth ?
 
I wondered about that myself. Suffice it to say, Philip assures me it is well broken in. I can say that it does need time to warm up and my initial impressions are "wow"

I really want to wait until tomorrow afternoon to listen again as I am going to keep the amps on overnight.
 
Steve Williams said:
Mola Mola

Well here's the bad news Lloyd. My right channel amp and/or power supply went down and I thought it was either a tube or a fuse but such is not the case. Sad to report that my right channel amp and power supply were both crated up and shipped back to Brooklyn for full evaluation by Vladimir. I'm hoping he will get it and start work this Monday with the hope that he will resolve the problem and have it shipped out for me to get next Friday. (wishful thinking, right ;))

However, every little cloud has a silver lining. In another thread here at WBF...

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?16628-Mola-Mola-!&p=301652&viewfull=1#post301652

I had indicated that my good friend Philip O'Hanlon is the USA distributor of Mola Mola and he lives less than 5 miles from me. I spoke to Philip this afternoon and he is coming over this evening to drop a pair into my system on loan until my amp is back and operational. So I know these will get a good work out and evaluation in my system.

More to follow with pictures tonight of the set up.......
Click to expand...

Ughhh...i think we've all had repairs, but when something seriously wrong on an expensive component that needs to be shipped...that is really a gut-punch. I have been there. Sorry to hear and good luck. Fortunately, you'll have music and by many accounts, very good music with the Mola.
 
Hi Stevie,

I think I've written about the MMs before when I heard them in Tokyo. I can't find the post though. They were paired with Lansche speakers and EMM's top stack. I remember walking away thinking that these are not my grandma's class D amps. The highs were nigh unimpeachable. I couldn't say much about the rest because the mids and bass of Lansche's while not bad at all, just IMO do not live up to the plasma tweets. So I would put the relative dissatisfaction on the speakers all things being relative. I do think it is important that I mention the highs though because traditionally again IMO that is where most older Class D amps suffered by comparison. That at least seems to have been a problem licked by Bruno with the nCores.
 
Actually, Rowland M925 took 1500 hours to reach their full ability to create audible nirvana. I suspect I am an empiricist suffering from EPD (Extreme Patience Disorder)… 100 hours or 1000 is all the same to me, for some unknown reason, I am seldom in a hurry to experience quick gratification.

But M925 being internally much more complex than Mola Mola around its core, with large regulated power supply, input transformers, 4-poles caps, etc… I guestimate that Mola Mola might stabilize at about 1000 hours, just like the NCore-based Merrill Veritas that I reviewed for PFO.

Bruno Putzey's NCore NC1200 modules are amazingly strong launching points for amp designers... Even in relatively simple implementations like Mola Mola and Merrill Veritas they deliver what to my ears is an incredibly emotionally involving musical experience...
...

I hear every day the sheer magic that NCore NC1200 yield from the core of state-of-art amps capable of harvesting their enormous potential.

G.
 
Bill Parish talks about Mola-Mola in this video... Bruno voices his products at GTT (usually) annually.

 
GuidoCorona said:
Actually, Rowland M925 took 1500 hours to reach their full ability to create audible nirvana. I suspect I am an empiricist suffering from EPD (Extreme Patience Disorder)… 100 hours or 1000 is all the same to me, for some unknown reason, I am seldom in a hurry to experience quick gratification.

But M925 being internally much more complex than Mola Mola around its core, with large regulated power supply, input transformers, 4-poles caps, etc… I guestimate that Mola Mola might stabilize at about 1000 hours, just like the NCore-based Merrill Veritas that I reviewed for PFO.

Bruno Putzey's NCore NC1200 modules are amazingly strong launching points for amp designers... Even in relatively simple implementations like Mola Mola and Merrill Veritas they deliver what to my ears is an incredibly emotionally involving musical experience...
...

I hear every day the sheer magic that NCore NC1200 yield from the core of state-of-art amps capable of harvesting their enormous potential.

G.
Click to expand...
And of technical interest I feel is that NAD has switched from their own Class D design to NCore with their latest M product (specifically a modified designed 400 module).
Cheers
Orb
 
Hi Steve,

Sorry to hear -- no pun intended -- of your amp warranting attention, but it has happened/will happen to many of us at some point, I would expect.
As you've remarked, there is a silver lining -- an opportunity to audition these interesting amps in your own system and very importantly, room.
 
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